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Yes, I'm Leaving BT

The Registerreported that I am leaving BT at the end of the year. It quoted BT as saying:

We hired Bruce because of his thought leadership in security and as part of our acquisition of Counterpane. We have agreed to part ways as we felt our relationship had run its course and come to a natural end. It has nothing to do with his recent blogs. We hired Bruce because of his thought leadership in security, not because we agree with everything he says. In fact, it's his ability to challenge our assumptions that made him especially valuable to BT.

Yes, it's true. And contrary to rumors, this has nothing to do with the NSA or GCHQ. No, BT wasn't always happy with my writings on the topic, but it knew that I am an independent thinker and didn't try to muzzle me in any way. I'm just ready to leave. I spent seven years at BT, and seven years at Counterpane Internet Security, Inc., before BT bought us. It's past time for something new.

I have had many, many reasons to be critical of BT over the years but that one statement ("No, BT wasn't always happy with my writings on the topic, but it knew that I am an independent thinker and didn't try to muzzle me in any way.") is so important to my own values that it alone forgives many sins!

Best of luck, Bruce, in whatever ventures you next choose to pursue. Your informed commentary on issues of great importance contribute significantly to public awareness and to keeping the debate active. Thanks for that.

Bruce, I don't think you will (or even can!) stop with your free and critical thinking.
With Counterpane and also during your time at BT, you have shown to be independent. Thanks for sharing your thanks with us.
I am waiting for your next round.

I suspect from your visable behaviour over the past few years that you are gravitating towards academia, to make your mark in a more definate way than is possible in ITSec.

Good luck and do every thing you can to make "papers free" such that others can freely walk in your footsteps, without having to pay the financial and mental toll to those who conspire to tax the work of others to their gain and the rest of societies loss.

Thank you for doing the right thing, Bruce. Your decision to leave BT goes a long way toward mitigating the appearance of potential conflicts of interest, which can be just as problematic for public trust as actual conflicts of interest. Especially after the news about RSA giving up essentially its own customers to NSA, I'm glad you've decided to distance yourself from a company that may or may not have done something similar.

I'm excited because you're one of the handful of people bright enough and bold enough to take on some of the biggest challenges of our time, like surveillance as a business model or how to dis-entangle problematic public-private partnerships. I can't resist the temptation to mention that I hope you'll consider helping The Tor Project fundraise and/or stay ahead of cryptanalytic attacks. I know it may sound boring or provincial, but a growing number of users believe Tor receives too much funding that comes either directly or indirectly from US Department of Defense sources. Helping The Tor Project diversify its funding sources seems like a great place to start helping to shore up public trust in basic privacy-enabling cryptography tools that help raise the cost of dragnet surveillance.

This year more than perhaps any other, you've inspired others--at significant personal and professional risk--to make the world safer and more free for everyone. And courage is contagious.

● It is certain
● It is decidedly so
● Without a doubt
● Yes definitely
● You may rely on it
● As I see it, yes
● Most likely
● Outlook good
● Yes
● Signs point to yes
● Reply hazy try again
● Ask again later
● Better not tell you now
● Cannot predict now
● Concentrate and ask again
● Don't count on it
● My reply is no
● My sources say no
● Outlook not so good
● Very doubtful